Holiday-themed family photos are one of those traditions that show the world how tight your bond is with your family. Whether you send out beautifully-embossed prints or email digital pics every year, preparation is key if you want to get those perfect photos. 

To help ease the pressure of picture day that you’re probably already starting to feel, here are 10 tips for taking amazing family holiday card photos. 

1. Find The Right Location

One of the first things you have to do is find a location that feels authentic to your family and roll with it. If you’re taking photos at home, try to ensure that you have a simple, relaxed, uncluttered background. For example, if you pose together while preparing a meal, make sure there are no dirty dishes in the background. 

If you choose to do the shoot outside, make sure you choose a place that has few distractions. If you have a lot going on around you, it will be hard for your little one to focus on the camera. 

2. Choose Your Outfits Carefully

Your outfits should be a reflection of the location you chose. For example, if you are shooting on the beach, wear tanks, creams, whites, and blues. If you are shooting in a desert environment, go for warmer earth tones and pops of muted florals or muddy colors. 

Additionally, Follow The Following Guidelines:  

• Coordinate, but don’t match. Instead of having the entire family wear the same Christmas-themed outfit, start by picking a color scheme, then add different shades, textures, and patterns. Don’t forget to also match your styles to ensure that everyone is at the same level of formality.
• Avoid big logos or patterns. These take away attention from you, the people actually posing for the photo. 
• Make sure the clothes are comfortable. Discomfort is easily noticeable in pictures, so make sure that everyone wears clothes that are comfortable for them. If you can’t sit in your outfit, it is too tight to be photographed in. 

Natural lighting is always the best. However, try to avoid direct midday sunlight. Anything earlier or later in the day when the light is softer should work well. If you’re shooting inside, use a room that gets plenty of natural light.

4. A Good Photographer Is Important

Looking to hire a photographer? Get a “family” or “lifestyle” photographer that has experience working with children. They need to be able to work quickly because when photographing families, it is not uncommon to only get a smiling child for 10 minutes. Family photographers are well-equipped to navigate such situations. 

5. Keep Toys And Snacks Handy

This is always a good idea in case the kids need to be distracted. Snacks will also help you deal with potential hunger pains during longer photoshoots. Choose simple snacks like pretzels and crackers that are filling without resulting in big messes. Toys will also keep them entertained, and if you are lucky, you might even get a few smiles out of them. 

6. Do Something Active!

Instead of the traditional staged shoot with everyone looking directly into the camera, you can get your photos taken while doing something active, like baking holiday cookies or decorating your Christmas tree. You can also take things outside and take some cool snowy shots of your family building a snowman.

Final Thoughts

It’s not easy to take a perfect selfie, let alone a great family photo. The more people you have to manage, the more stressful things get. However, with the tips outlined here, things should be easy peasy for you, and hopefully, you’ll get to have a great time in the process. Happy holidays!